Questions
by ukulelefoot
Summary: Set just after series 3 episode 4, Gill and Julie have a quiet evening together.


The case was going too slowly for Julie's liking. She was glad that they'd found a new lead in Phil Cairns, but that meant dealing with the lack of inquiry when he'd first reported it all those years ago. She sat down on the sofa and took a rather large mouthful of wine before putting the glass down on the coffee table. She stretched herself out as she lay on the sofa, flopping her legs over one arm and placing her head on a cushion next to Gill's lap, and gave a huge sigh.

'I know what you mean,' said Gill, stroking Julie's arm.

'It's just so long and tedious, this one.' Julie looked up with an expression of boredom.

'Yeah, I know. We'll get there in the end, though. We're good officers on our own, so together, I think we're formidable,' encouraged Gill with a grin. 'Forget about it for tonight. We get enough of it at work. We don't need to discuss it here as well.' She lightly tapped Julie's cheek to emphasise her point.

'You're right,' replied Julie as she gently took Gill's hand and rested their intertwined fingers on her stomach. 'What _did_ you want to talk about, then?'

'Oh, nothing in particular,' Gill said nonchalantly as she fiddled with Julie's hair with her free hand.

'You won't fool me that easily.' Julie squeezed Gill's hand as she smiled up at her. Gill rolled her eyes and tutted in mock annoyance.

'You know me too well.'

'So? What is it?' Julie pressed.

'It's just Sammy.'

'What about Sammy, love?'

'Do you not think that they're rushing into this?'

'What? Getting married?' Gill gave a small nod. 'They've been together long enough, haven't they? And they're in love?' Gill nodded again. 'Well then, what are you not happy about? Eh?' Julie reached up to tuck Gill's hair behind her ear and then rested her hand on Gill's cheek as Gill lifted her other hand up so that she could hold Julie's.

'It's really stupid.'

'I won't laugh,' Julie said sincerely.

'He's my little boy and I suppose I don't like the idea that I'm losing him to a young woman.' Gill shifted uncomfortably. Julie realised what she was trying to get at. She pushed herself up to sit cross-legged as she faced Gill on the sofa and spoke.

'Like Dave.'

Dave was a touchy subject, one generally avoided, but he _did_ exist so they couldn't completely ignore that fact.

'Yeah. Like Dave,' Gill sighed. 'But not quite like Dave because Orla is really lovely unlike... the whore.' Julie nodded. 'And the thing is, after he's moved out, he's got Orla to rely on so he won't need me and I won't have him to come home to every night.'

'Hey, hey! You're his mum! Of course he's still going to rely on you and need you! That's certainly not going to stop just because he's married. And when it comes to coming home at night, well, you've got me.' She smiled supportively and took Gill's hands again as Gill took in what she'd said.

'I just feel...' Gill couldn't think of the words.

'I know, love. I know it's difficult for you, but it's not like he's moving to the other end of the country. He'll be round the corner! You can go and bother them whenever you want.'

'Oh, I'm sure they'll have much better things to do than entertain a middle-aged woman after a day at work.'

'Oi! You do realise that calling yourself middle-aged is also calling me middle-aged?' Julie teased.

'Well, we are middle-aged, if we're honest.'

'Maybe in body, but in mind, I'm still 22! I don't see you as a middle-aged woman, either. To me, you are a sprightly young lady with the power to take my breath away,' said Julie with a hint of silliness.

'Oh, shut up you soppy cow!'

'I'm being romantic. You could at least _try_ to be receptive.' She poked Gill in the side, causing her to squeal. Gill reciprocated by tickling Julie, who sprang to the other end of the sofa before they both burst into fits of giggles and Gill shuffled over to start tickling Julie again, who tried to speak through tears of laughter.

'You're so immature!' She had been pinned down underneath Gill as she was being tickled and now Gill looked down at her with a suggestive expression.

'Oh yeah? Well from this angle, I can do this.' She leant down, pressed a forceful kiss to Julie's lips and pulled back again, wearing a cheeky smile.

'Well, in that case, I don't mind one bit.' Julie placed a hand around Gill's neck and pulled her in for another kiss, this one more passionate than the first. Without breaking apart, they manoeuvred themselves so that they were lying next to each other along the sofa, giving them a more comfortable position to be in.

After making out like teenagers for a while, they came to a natural stop and lay on their backs in silence for a moment, basking in the feeling of contentment that always followed this display of affection.

'Julie?'

'Yes, love.' Julie turned her head to look at Gill.

'How long have we been together?'

'One year, three months and...,' she did some mental maths in her head, '...twenty-three days. Why?'

'And how long have we known each other?'

'Goodness, I don't know. Longer than I'd like to think. Nearly thirty years, probably.'

'We first met in 1986.'

'Blimey, was it that long ago?' said Julie quietly, feeling her age.

'Yeah. August the 5TH.' Julie's mouth fell open in amazement.

'You remember the exact day that we met?'

'Mm-hmm. I knew that you were special right from the off. I don't know _how_ I knew but something clicked, don't you think?' She turned to Julie, who smiled.

'Why are you bringing this up?'

'Well, you are basically the only thing that's been a constant since my early twenties and I thought, considering how our changed relationship is going so well...' Gill was getting quite nervous.

'Take a deep breath and ask me with the knowledge that the answer will most likely be yes.' Gill did as she was told.

'D'you want to move in?' she blurted out. Julie sat up almost without realising and Gill followed close behind. 'I don't want you to feel pressured to but I just want you to know that the offer is there.' She was starting to regret mentioning it.

'No, I... um. It's just a bit of a shock, is all.' She had so many thoughts running through her head. This meant that people would find out about their relationship. Were they ok with other people knowing? Was this going to change their relationship, one which they were both happy with?

'You can think about it if you want, I don't need an answer right now. You can take as long as-'

'Yes.' Julie had taken one look at Gill's expectant face and couldn't deny that living with this amazing woman would be the best thing she could think of.

'Really?' Gill thought that Julie had only said this to shut her up.

'Seriously, I can't think of anything I want to do more than to live with you. We basically live round each other's houses anyway so why not just have one?'

'Exactly,' said Gill with a huge smile, thankful that she'd plucked up the courage to ask.

'Thank you,' Julie replied with a smile of equal measure.

'That's absolutely fine.' Gill flung her arms around Julie as once again they kissed gently. 'I love you so much,' she mumbled as Julie kissed along her jaw line. Julie brought her face up right in front of Gill's, their foreheads leaning together.

'And I love you too.'

At that moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the universe. Worries were pushed aside. This was their time to show each other how true their love was and everything else could wait until tomorrow.


End file.
